Graphics issues on LMDE2 32bits system

[dclement]

Hello,

This may not be in the right section, but I suspect a graphics issue. This is a 32-bit Dell Optiplex GX520 running LMDE2.

I sometimes find that the graphical theme gets corrupted: the windows title bars become black...

... but usually would resume their normal aspect after a logout.

Then, two apps: Firefox and Bluegriffon (which are somehow related) have toolbars problems: some buttons just "disappear". They are here and can be clicked, but have no icon:


In Firefox this issue sometimes extend to the web page: here is what our well known homepage becomes at times:

(where you can also notice the missing "+" on the button to open a new tab).

Now, the graphics card on this PC is an aging Intel 82945G/GZ -- but OTTH maybe I'm completely wrong when I put it to blame. I don't have any issue on another PC (64 bits) with (more recent) Intel graphics.

TIA for any input - BR, Daniel

[Zill]

dclement: It would be helpful to know your graphics spec so please open a terminal and enter the following command:

Code: Select all

inxi -G

If you are using the Intel i915 driver then this bug report may be relevant and suggests a possible workaround:
Corrupted graphics with Intel i915 driver on LMDE 2 Betsy 32bit

[dclement]

Hi Zill, thanks for replying,

dclement: It would be helpful to know your graphics spec so please open a terminal and enter the following command:

Code: Select all

inxi -G

I can't issue it right now, as this PC is at work but...

If you are using the Intel i915 driver then this bug report may be relevant and suggests a possible workaround:
Corrupted graphics with Intel i915 driver on LMDE 2 Betsy 32bit

... this link very closely describes what I'm observing. So I'm quite confident that the suggested workaround will help.

I'll test ASAP and report back here.

[Fred Barclay]

Hi dclement. The link Zill gives you is good and has helped many of us. However, the proposed solution doesn't work in all cases. So, if you're like me and it doesn't work, installing the Liquorix kernel might solve your troubles.
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 1&t=203167

[dclement]

Hi,

I just tried the fix described in this bug report. Event though the driver on this PC is not exactly the Intel i915:

Code: Select all

daniel@dell-01 ~ $ inxi -G
Graphics:  Card: Intel 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 driver: intel
           Resolution: 1280x1024@60.02hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 945G x86/MMX/SSE2
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 10.3.2

... and there was no /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf file, I applied it all the same.

And so far it seems to work, I have not observed any graphics corruption since then. But OTTH, it doesn't happen at every session so I can't tell for 100% sure right now.

But then, if it's confirmed (I' ll have more occasions to try throughout the week), it could be interesting to note that the above fix isn't just for Intel i915.

BR, Daniel

[Zill]

dclement: Many thanks for the feedback. It will be useful if you would keep us advised on if this workaround really does work (long-term!) on other Intel chipsets...

[dclement]

Well, maybe I've been a bit optimistic...

Just after sending my last post this morning, I closed Firefox, and I saw my screen like this:

This disappeared as soon as I logged off and on again. So, harmless, but not very pretty.

I have yet to see if it happens again, and often. Stay tuned...

[Fred Barclay]

Liquorix! Liquorix! Liquorix!

Seriously, though, I and a lot of other members had this exact same problem. If the solution Zill gave didn't work completely, then the liquorix kernel is the only other fix I'm aware of. If you decide to go this route, the link in my first post has a sloppy tutorial (just kidding) that I wrote to install the liquorix kernel.

Firefox is the acid test for many of us too. You may have noticed that you can't force the bars to appear, but sometimes you figure out something that will trigger them. My trick was to run Firefox and gl-117 (fullscreen Firefox, gl-117 not in fullscreen) for a few minutes. It would always trigger the banding.

[dclement]

Well, I can't deny I've seen the banding again. I even saw it on some pictures within Firefox.

But I've noticed it was quite easily solved by temporarily switching to another desktop or (if within Firefox) refreshing the page. I started Firefox five times in a row without any graphics corrupted.

All in all, for now, I'd rather bear with this occasional banding than see my FF or BlueGriffon icons disappear.

I'll take you advice and install Liquorix kernel when I find the time to do it !

BR, Daniel